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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. swing — in golf
  4. tear — to rip
  5. cell — in biology
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pop — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. tear — from crying
  13. swing — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. tear — from crying

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com